


Proud of You

by Hippiebuckyharrington



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, BILLY IN A DRESS, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Bottom Billy Hargrove, But if you see her as pan or bi that works too, But it's there, Cuddles, El is dating a woman, Gay Billy Hargrove, Gay Will Byers, I picture her as lesbian, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mild Smut, Mostly Fluff, Pride, Pride Parades, Reconciliation, Some angst, Spooning, Takes place several years after Season 2, The Smut Is Really Mild, Thirsty Steve, Top Steve Harrington, and barely graffic, really not a lot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-21
Updated: 2019-06-21
Packaged: 2020-05-15 19:23:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19302211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hippiebuckyharrington/pseuds/Hippiebuckyharrington
Summary: Steve Harrington fucked up in high school and took seven years after graduation to come out. And he's proud of who he is, even if he's embarrassed of everything else in his life. When Max and El invite him and Will out to San Francisco for Pride, Steve takes the chance, and attends his first pride parade. What he isn't ready for is to see the one that got away, strutting down the street in heels and a dress. Everything in season 2 still happens, but it's not in the 80s.





	Proud of You

**Author's Note:**

> This is my second Pride out, and that got me thinking about Steve going to pride, and then I saw Jonathan Van Ness in a dress and thought, Billy should wear one. This was supposed to be 1000 words of Billy in a dress, and then I wrote it and we got this. Sorry not sorry. I am really happy with this, and hope you all enjoy! If I missed a tag, please let me know.

Steve Harrington shifts nervously. He jumps a bit at the swat on his shoulder that follows his movement, and ignores the giggles from around him. He blows out a breath and wipes his sweaty palms on his thighs, keeping his eyes shut. 

"Oh my god El!!!" Someone squeals off to his left, Steve isn't totally sure who. There are so many twenty-something girls in this room he’s feeling a little overwhelmed. "Seriously, girl. He looks so good! Stevie are ya ready for your first pride?" The same girl says. 

Steve opens his eyes and glances up at Jane “El” Hopper. She smiles at him and steps back, making a sweeping gesture across the hotel room toward the mirror. Steve takes a fortifying breath and gets up. 

He ignores the giggles, as well as the feathers, and glitter that are mysteriously fluttering around the room. He's wearing a black shirt that has the phases of the moon on it, with the moons in the bi pride colors, with script underneath saying not a phase. El had handed it to him this morning, the sleeves are cut off and the hem has been trimmed so that it flutters around his belly button. 

His arms are dusted in pink, purple and blue glitter. He's also wearing cut off jean shorts, and black converse with black socks pulled to his knees that have rainbows on them. His hair is wild around his head, he's got some more glitter worked through it, and El had patiently put a bi pride flag on his cheek using eye shadow. 

He smiles and shifts slightly. It feels a little overwhelming, to be so loud about who he is, but also wildly exhilarating. He turns and grins at the room. 

Maxine Mayfield is standing in the corner, leaning against her boyfriend Lucas Sinclair. Max is wearing a rainbow crop top, high wasted white shorts and sandals. Her hair is pulled into a pony tail, sprinkled with glitter and she's got some intricate makeup. Max is here as an alley, her and Lucas have been together for years, are deliriously happy, and are here supporting Will and Steve. Lucas is wearing a t-shirt that has a rainbow circle on it with the word alley in the middle and jeans. Someone wrapped a feather boa around his neck and he looks mildly overwhelmed too. 

El’s girlfriend is leaning against the wall next to them, talking quietly with Max. She is one of the more subtly dressed here, wearing a men’s button down that says proud on it in rainbow letters all over the navy background, paired with light jean shorts and sandals. She's got a bi pride flag on her cheek too, curtesy of El. She has short strawberry blonde, buzzed on the sides and back, longer on top. She's tall, and sturdy looking, and smiles at Steve encouragingly. 

El is wearing a knee length rainbow skirt, and a t-shirt that says I’m Gay, what’s your super power, which Steve had laughed over for what felt like years this morning when he first saw it, given all the shit they went through with the Upside Down all those years ago. Her hair has grown out a bit, cropped around her shoulders and her makeup is incredible. She really is a wizard with it, all the girls look great and keep complimenting her. 

"Lookin good Harrington." El’s girlfriend calls, smiling, as some of the other girls tie a bi pride flag around his neck like a cape. 

"Thanks Jerri." He says, and only blushes a little when she winks at him. The room is packed with El's and Max's college friends. She and El go to the same school, so the other girls floating around are their friends, Steve heard all their names at some point, Jerri’s being the only one he remembers. Max and El had both moved to San Francisco for college and had begged Steve, and Will Byers to come out and celebrate pride with them this summer, since both the boys had come out over the past school year. 

Steve had agreed, needing to get out of Hawkins for a while, and Will had readily come with. 

Now, Will is sitting quietly in the corner, looking overwhelmed at the six or so girls crammed in the hotel room. They are all decked out in outfits that reflect their sexualities and the amount of selfies Steve has seen is almost baffling. He makes his way over to Will, dodging a cloud of glitter one of the girls is dumping on her friend. 

"It's kind of a lot isn't it?" He murmurs. Will is wearing jeans and a simple white shirt with a rainbow on the front. He had a flag cape too. 

"Yeah, it is." Will mutters. 

"Oh my god, guys we gotta go or we're gonna miss him!" Max says suddenly. The girls all shriek and rush Steve, grabbing his hand and in a whirlwind of feathered boas, glitter, and laughter, they make their way out of the hotel and down to the street. They join the rainbow-colored river of people who are all making their way toward the parade. Their group parks it in the shade of one of the buildings along the parade route.

"It's real cool." Jerri says, dropping down onto the ground next to Steve and Will, handing them water bottles that say San Fran Pride in rainbow letters. "At the end, they invite any one to walk at the back, Janey and I always do." Jerri smiles, and pushes round John Lennon-esque sunglasses up her nose. She grins at El when she sits down on her other side.

The parade passes them soon after and Steve is just in awe of all the color whirling by them. He and Will have never been to Pride, Hawkins is too small to have one. They both gape at the many glittering people, floats, and groups go by.

Steve has never blushed more in his life than he did when a very buff man, in a very tiny rainbow swimsuit had run up to him and kissed him before looping beads around his neck and running off. Will had laughed at him for a solid five minutes, before turning back to the attractive boy next to him, who reminded Steve a bit of Dustin.

Steve is getting a little bit overwhelmed with all the rainbows, and all of the very very very attractive people in equally skimpy clothes, when he sees him. 

There are a group of people carrying a banner for the Trevor Project, and several colorfully dressed people wandering around and smiling, waving, throwing beads, condoms, lube packets and candy. They are wearing matching shirts with the Trevor Project logo splashed on the front. Steve dodges a flying condom and then his heart stops. 

Walking in the middle of the street, in rainbow heels, that look sharp enough to stab someone, wearing a shapeless rainbow dress, with his blond curls grown out and loose around his face, practically glowing, is Billy Hargrove. 

Steve is standing and walking toward the curb before he even knows what he's doing. His mouth has gone dry, and he can't tear his eyes away from the vision in technicolor before him. Billy is waving, and throwing condoms and lube together, winking at the people lining the street. With a jolt, Steve realizes he's wearing makeup. He's far enough away that he doesn't see Steve yet. 

He can dimly hear Jerri, Max, El, and Lucas teasing him, but he can't breathe, can't focus, can't do anything but drink in the sight of Billy in heels and a mother fucking dress. 

"Holy Shit" He whispers softly.

Time feels like it's slowing down, until Billy, smiling and flirting with one of the men near him, turns and sees Steve. They both freeze, and Steve swears that time stops too. 

Billy blinks, once, twice, and then his face breaks into a huge grin. He passes his bag of safe sex goodies to another vision in rainbow and runs over, which leave's Steve's mouth dry, given the heels he's sporting. 

"Pretty boy." Billy cries excitedly when he reaches them, and then suddenly Steve is wrapped in a hug. Steve returns it after a beat, and is relieved to find Billy smells the same, like sunshine, and summer. He stills smells a little bit like cigarettes, but it's not as strong, and he no longer smells of chlorine like he did in high school. He is still all hard muscle under the dress though, and Steve swallows thickly. Billy holds him tight, and then steps back. He holds him at arm’s length and grins at him, looking him up and down. 

"You look good Harrington." Billy whispers.

"So…. So do you." Steve chokes out. Billy grins, and then is rushing past him to hug Max.

"Hey! You didn't tell me you were bringing Hawkins to pride!" Billy exclaims, hugging Lucas too, who returns it with a smile. 

The couple don't look surprised by the outfit Billy is wearing and Max bugs Lucas into taking a picture of them. They both strike a ridiculous pose, Billy tossing his curls out of his face. He's still got only the one ear pierced; a silver heart is dangling from the piercing. Billy smiles, he hasn't stopped since walking up to them. It looks good, and Steve chugs his water bottle to combat his very dry mouth.

He comes hurrying back to Steve and takes his hand. 

"Come on pretty boy. Walk with me." Billy says, and flutters his eyelashes. He's got rainbow colors splashed across his lids and lips, and Steve really can't look away. 

Billy tugs him into the street and then he's swept into the parade, sparing a glance back at the kids who cheer and give him thumbs up.

Steve feels a little dazed, but the crowd is cheering and they are back in the middle of the group Billy was originally walking with, and Billy is waving and winking like before, except this time his hand is still laced with Steve's. 

"Wave, Stevie. Have some fun." Billy purrs, and Steve blinks a few times, and then grins, he never could resist Billy's smile. 

The parade progresses quickly, with Steve waving along with Billy, he doesn’t see much except blonde curls, golden calves ending in heels, and a blindingly genuine smile. Steve is surprised when Billy guides him to a bench, and hands him some water. Steve blinks around and realizes that the parade is over, the rainbow clad people milling about and dispersing.

"Don't go anywhere, ok? I'll be right back!" Billy says, and then he's off, running over to talk to someone, the hem of his dress flapping around his thighs. Steve chugs the water, and talks with some of the people wearing skimpy swimsuits who had been walking with them. He never did catch what they are walking for, but they are lovely people, clearly part of the Trevor Project but dressed differently than the others.

Billy comes back and smiles at Steve in such a sweet way, Steve's heart melts a little more.

"See you guys later." Billy says, and all the gathered people share a knowing look. Billy ignores them, and tugs Steve to his feet. 

"I just texted Max, she said that Will scored a date with that guy, and that she, Lucas, Jerri and El are going back to their place to relax and watch a movie. I live really close, wanna come back with me and then I can drive you back to the hotel?" Billy asks 

Steve nods and lets Billy tow him to a cab, and then into a gorgeous apartment. Billy leaves Steve in the doorway and moves through the place, scraping his curls back into a low bun and kicking off his shoes. 

The apartment looks modern but lived in, there are used coffee mugs on the table, dishes in the sink, and a couple papers scattered on several surfaces. A fish tank gurgles in the corner by the tv and a cat is dozing in the evening sun coming in from the balcony. 

Billy disappears into the bed room, and comes back out looking more like himself. He's traded the dress for cut off shorts, and a white tank top that says Gay as Fuck on it. He's barefoot and is wiping a makeup removing wipe on his face. 

He smiles at Steve and shrugs on a leather jacket, Steve exhales in a rush. 

"You look more like you now." Steve murmurs. Billy smiles, pulling out one of those fancy E-cigarettes. He does something to turn it on, takes a long pull from it and then they just stand there. 

Steve's fingers itch, he wants to reach out, grab the leather jacket and reel Billy in like he used to. He wants his hair to smell like cigarettes again, the way it did when they were in high school and Billy would loop his arms around his neck as they kissed, the lit cigarette dangling from those thick fingers. 

He wants to press Billy back into his new big couch and kiss him senseless. Does his skin taste the same? Does he make the same sounds? Steve sighs, he gave up smoking years ago but he aches for one now, something about the nostalgia of Billy bringing the old need to the front. 

Billy shifts nervously and then sighs.

"I… didn't think I'd see you again." Billy finally whispers. Steve sighs again, and sits down on the couch finally. He un does the knot holding the flag on as a cape, and tosses it aside, raining glitter onto the cushions. 

"I'm sorry." He mutters, and isn't sure if it’s for the glitter or the way things between them imploded all those years ago. 

"Don't worry about it, there's usually glitter here, to be fair." Billy says, sitting down too. They are silent for a moment, and then Billy lets out a dry chuckle, kicking his bare feet up onto the coffee table, dropping his head to the back of the couch. 

"I've been wanting to see you again for seven years, and now that you're here I don't know what to say." Billy groans, hand swiping over his face. Steve nods, still watching Billy’s face.

"I know, there's so much I need to say." Steve says, leaning forward, resting elbows on his knees, head in his hands. Billy rolls his head on the couch and peers at him, makes a questioning noise in his throat but doesn’t speak. 

"I've been thinking since you and that old ass car of yours drove away how I need to say sorry, how I gotta apologize." Steve breathes, and he hates that he can feel tears pricking his eyes. "All those horrible things I said, all those horrible things I did." Steve continues. 

"Oh, baby." Billy says, still able to read him like a book it would seem. He sits up and places a warm, gentle hand on Steve's back. He's closer, not quite pressed against Steve but close. "I've already forgiven you, and I've moved passed it. Not that there was much to forgive, I said some things too. And I'm so proud of you, I only ever just wanted you to be yourself, and to love yourself as much as I do." Billy breathes. 

Steve is crying now, tears tracking down his cheeks, ruining the makeup El used to paint the flag on his face. He lifts his face and looks at Billy, whose blue eyes are earnest and kind. He reaches out and gently thumbs some tears from Steve's face. 

"Billy." Steve whispers, voice breaking on the simple word. 

"I know, baby." Billy says. They move forward until their foreheads meet, Billy's hand cupping Steve's face, Steve's long fingers curled around the other boy’s wrist. They stay there for a long moment, just breathing each other in. 

"I missed you pretty boy." Billy whispers eventually. Steve laughs a little. 

"I've missed you too. Max didn't tell me you were still living here; I didn't know I'd see you." Steve answers. 

"She's sneaky like that." Billy smirks a bit. "Do you want a shower? I can loan you some clean clothes if you want?" Billy says after a moment pulling back.

"You sayin’ I stink Hargrove?" Steve teases. Billy grins like a wolf, the way he always used to. 

"Nope." He says, popping the p. Steve laughs and nods. 

"A shower would be great." Steve says, and he recognizes it for what it is: stalling. Neither of them wants Steve to leave, and a shower is the best way to get him to stay, while also postponing having the conversation they both know is coming. 

"Great, give me a second and I'll grab you some clothes." Billy says, getting up and heading to his bedroom. Steve stands from the couch and browses Billy's living room. He's got some shelves built in to the living room wall opposite the couch, lined with photos and a few books. 

Steve knows Billy, and guesses all of his books are actually crammed into bookshelves in his bedroom, the man loves to read. The ones out here seem to be just for show, collections of old volumes of some of Billy’s favorites it looks like. 

Some of the people in the pictures he remembers, several of Max and Billy, some from past pride parades, some from just random moments in the past years. There's a picture of Max and Lucas from Susan's wedding last year; Susan divorced Neil a few years ago, and moved to some small town in Colorado. She got married last fall to what Steve has heard is just the best guy, according to Max. Steve picks up the picture of them and smiles. Max is in a gorgeous navy-blue dress that all the bridesmaids wore, and Lucas is wearing a tux. They look good, beaming at each other as they dance. 

There are a couple other pictures of Billy and people Steve doesn't know, work friends maybe, or old school friends. One of him, Susan, and Max sitting on the beach, wearing swimsuits and sunglasses. 

Billy is still busy in his room, so Steve continues to browse the pictures. He always loves seeing what moments in people’s lives are their most important, worthy of framing and displaying. 

"Ok, I set a couple shirts and sweats that I think will fit you in the bathroom, and there is a fresh towel in there. Help yourself to any of the products in the shower, and please don't judge me for all the haircare products." Billy says, smirking. Steve laughs. 

"I'm glad you haven't changed that much." Steve says. Billy grins.

"These curls require a lot of upkeep." He says, tossing his head. "The bathroom is just through the bedroom. Take your time." He adds, smiling sincerely at Steve. Steve smiles back and heads to the bathroom. He closes the bedroom door behind him and smiles. 

Sure enough, Billy's bedroom has four bookcases crowded around the room, stuffed with books. The bed is made, and looks comfortable. Steve glances over his shoulder and looks at the closed door, music has started up in the main room, and Steve can just picture Billy curled up on the couch reading. He can see a cluster of pictures on the night stand and bites his lip as he walks over. It’s probably snooping but he’s curious.

One is of Billy and a teenager, who is lying on a hospital bed, blankets around their waist, chest heavily bandaged. They are both holding thumbs up at the camera. There is another picture of him and Max, Billy wearing a different dress and heels in matching maroon instead of rainbow, and Max wearing slacks and a blouse, it looks like they are at some sort of fundraiser or something. Steve smiles and then his heart stops when he spots the next photo. 

It isn't framed, and it's lying on the night stand next to the others. It's an old polaroid, and Steve picks it up with trembling fingers. 

Billy is standing, wearing his jean jacket over an open button down, rocking that stupid mullet from high school, resting his hands-on Steve's shoulders. Steve is wearing a yellow polo and looks very similar to now; his hair only really looks good one way. 

They are both looking out of frame and smiling. It's a polaroid that Max had taken, Steve remembers the night well. It was while they were all hanging out a few weeks before graduation. Steve doesn't remember what they are smiling at, but he remembers Max handing him the photo discreetly later. The night everything had gone down, Steve had left it in Billy's car, he’d been carrying it around in his pocket. He's shocked that Billy still has it. 

Scrawled on the bottom, in Steve's messy scrawl is ‘Billy loves Steve’ and a heart, he’d written it while cuddling in the back of Steve’s old BMW. Billy had hidden a smirk in his hair and called him soft. But written under it, a word he doesn’t remember seeing, he doesn't know when Billy put it there, is the word ‘Forever’. Steve takes a deep breath, and jolts when the song abruptly skips out in the living room. He shakes his head and belatedly realizes that he needs to get in the shower before Billy comes to check on him. 

He shakes himself again, sets the polaroid down and heads to the shower. It's huge, with frosted glass walls, and a bench inside. The bench is full of shower products, body washes and gels, shampoos and conditioners, and a whole section with labels boasting about curl care. Steve laughs and starts the water. 

He gets a melancholy feeling watching the purple, pink, and blue glitter swirl down the drain. But washing his hair with what he suspects is thirty-dollar shampoo is a magical experience, and he groans a little. 

When he's luxuriated in the shower for probably far too long, he steps out and wraps in a sinfully fluffy towel to browse the clothes Billy left. He settles on plain grey sweats that are wore soft and thin in places. He picks through the t-shirts, with the towel over his hair. 

One t-shirt has the Trevor Project’s logo, and is orange and says ‘Trevor’ on it. Steve thinks it looks too small and puts it to the side. Another says ‘I heart SF’ with the heart filled in with a rainbow. Steve discards that one too, and then finds a simple white t-shirt, with a red boarder around the neck and sleeves that says ‘Proud’ in rainbow print. He opts for that one and then spends a while staring in the fogged mirror, drying his hair and gently guiding it to a style to dry in so that it doesn’t get too wild.

Billy's sink is of course lined with different hair products and Steve is pleased to see his usual pomade among them and works some through his hair. When he's satisfied, he takes the clothes he didn't choose out to set on the bed and balls up his dirty clothes from the parade. Then he grabs the polaroid and heads out to the living room. 

It smells delicious in the room and Steve breathes deep, tucking the picture in the sweatpants pockets. Billy is smoking and standing in the kitchen, stirring some pot of something. He is absently humming along to a song playing softly from the radio.

"Wow, that smells good!" Steve says. Billy grins over his shoulder, and nods to the table. 

"Take a seat. Nice shirt." Billy says with a chuckle. 

Steve sits at the table and watches Billy cook. Billy plates the food, and sets a steaming pasta dish in front of Steve, along with some bread and a beer. Steve smiles gratefully and digs in. The food is delicious and he wolfs it down, ignoring the way Billy chuckles at him. 

"I was starving." Steve says, when he's done. Billy laughs. 

"Me too." 

Steve offers to do the dishes which Billy tries to talk him out of. Steve insists and Billy eventually gives in rolling his eyes, and going to the couch. 

When Steve finishes the dishes, he sits next to Billy, who marks the page in his book and turns his full attention on Steve. 

"You kept it?" He says, handing Billy the polaroid. Billy looks at it, looks at Steve, and sighs.

"You… uh, you weren't supposed to see this." Billy says sheepishly. 

"I lost it…" Steve whispers. 

"Yeah, I found it in my car, days later. It had fallen between the seat and the door. I wanted to tear it up, throw it away. But it was the last part of you I had. I couldn't just throw it away." Billy looks at the picture fondly. 

"I don't want you thinking that I've just sat around for seven years, waiting for you. I've dated other people, and I hope you have too. But, Stevie." Billy says. He sets the polaroid down and moves closer, hands coming up to cup Steve's face. "Stevie, you're my one. You’re it. And if you don't want to try again, if you don't feel anything for me anymore, say so, and I swear we can just be friends. But I can’t lose you again, and if we are only ever friends then that’s alright. I’ll take you however I can get ya." Billy breathes.

Steve blinks and searches Billy's face. All he finds there is love and sincerity. So, really the only answer to that is to lean forward and kiss Billy gently.

It's soft and chaste for a moment, just a tentative press of mouths. And then Steve groans, and pushes his hands into Billy's hair, deepening the kiss. Billy responds hungrily and licks into Steve's parted mouth. Steve leans back and lets Billy chase him, until he's leaning against the back of the couch, Billy practically on his lap. 

Billy huffs, and breaks the kiss for just a moment, before he gets up and straddles Steve, settling against his thighs, burying his fingers into Steve's hair. Steve slips his hands under Billy's jacket and pushes them up his back, relearning the toned muscles there. Steve is more toned than he used to be, his boring life has made him work out more, seeking an outlet. Billy is still toned, but a little softer. For a while they just sit there, close, but not kissing, relearning each other. 

"I never thought I'd get another chance." Steve pants. "Never thought I'd ever hold you like this again." Billy trails one hand down Steve's face, finger tips gently brushing his cheek. 

"I never thought we'd be here either." Billy whispers. Steve peers up into his burning blue eyes, and pulls him closer. 

"We should talk, slow down a bit and talk." Steve breathes. Billy pouts.

"I hate having to be an adult." Billy complains. Steve laughs.

"You're 24!" He cries, laughing.

"Yeah, so." Billy teases. He waggles his tongue at Steve, which leads to a few more kisses. "Fine, but can I keep sitting in your lap?" Billy asks, pulling back. Steve grins and nods. 

"Let’s work backwards." Steve whispers. "You live here and have a job, here right?" 

"Yep. I’m a crisis counselor for the Trevor Project, I help LGBTQ+ teens and young adults in crisis. Putting my psych degree to good use. That photo on my nightstand, the one of me and the kid in the hospital? That’s Jared, the reason I applied to the Project. He’s trans, and told me about this hotline he called when things felt to heavy. I wanted to help people like Jared, so here I am." Billy says, gently brushing some hair back from Steve's forehead.

"Max told me that you were getting a psych degree." Steve says, in awe. 

"Yeah, it's technically in counselling, I got my masters online after undergrad really quick, and now I get to be there for kids the way I wished someone had been there for me." Billy says. Steve's hands are resting on Billy's hips and they tense at that. Billy smiles. "I'm better now Stevie. I see a counselor myself. But enough about me, what are you doing?" 

"I almost don't wanna tell now. I'm still working for my dad, because I never went to college and have no skills." Steve says, a bitter edge creeping into his voice. He hates his job, and regrets every day that he didn't go to college, that he didn't move away and do literally anything else with his life. 

But instead he’s working at a bullshit job, doing meaningless grunt work at an office, and living in his parent’s empty house. He feels like a failure, especially because Billy is literally saving lives.

"Tommy and Carol had a baby and so sometimes I babysit, but not usually. Um, Will comes back to visit a lot, he's just in Indianapolis for college. Mike moved to New York for school, I don’t know what he’s doing, he’s changed his major so many times. Dustin is also in New York and works for some big science thing that he has explained to me a thousand times and I still don’t understand. And you know how Max and El are." Steve says. Billy chuckles and leans closer. 

"I didn't ask about the kids, baby. I asked about you." He breathes, kissing along Steve's jaw. Steve sighs.

"I wake up every morning in my bedroom that is plagued with memories from high school, and I get dressed in shirts with stiff collars and ties that I hate, I drive my beat up old BMW to a job that makes me want to scream, and try to ignore the perky secretary all day while doing bullshit work that barely gives me a livable paycheck, but it doesn't matter because I live in my parents’ house, who have basically moved to Europe. I don't go on dates because the people there want me to marry them, and I just can't do that. I pretend to be straight because my dad is ashamed, hence the move to Europe, and I pretend that I’m not casually hooking up with the new math teacher at Hawkins High when he’s bored." Steve sighs, letting the glide of Billy's lips on his neck calm him as he gets angry. "But I have no reason to leave, no reason to escape, so I'm gonna be in Hawkins until I die." Steve finishes miserably. Billy chuckles a little. 

"That isn't the only choice, pretty boy. I'm sure you can find some other job, and some other apartment. But never mind that now." Billy says, sitting up again. "You're only 25, your life is nowhere near wasted and nowhere near over. You can still be something, you can always be something." Billy says, and the way he's looking at Steve makes him melt. He reaches up and cups Billy's cheek, thrilling when Billy leans into it. 

"I don't deserve for you to be looking at me like that. After what I said…" Steve whispers. Billy frowns a little. 

"You were 18, I was 17. We were young and dumb and said dumb shit." Billy says, shrugging. Steve sighs, and leans his forehead against Billy's. 

It had been right after Steve had graduated. They had driven out to the old quarry, intending to drink and smoke, and maybe fuck in Billy's back seat. But Steve was feeling antsy, anxious and reckless. So, he'd started a fight, just little things at first, "God, I hate those Cigarettes, why do you smoke those?" or "A leather jacket with no shirt is so 80s, you look stupid." (Billy hadn't, Billy in a leather jacket and no shirt was fuckin sex on a stick.) 

Billy had laughed it all off and just passed a joint to him. But the weed hadn't helped, it just amped him up, making him paranoid. He felt scared, panicked, because in a year Billy was gonna graduate and move, and forget all about him. Steve had been rejected from every college he applied to, and almost didn’t graduate. So, he'd leapt off the hood and started pacing. Billy had just watched him, maybe he knew, knew the wild racing under Steve's skin, the panic clawing at his chest, the reminder that he's bullshit. 

Steve still regrets everything about that night, he should have blown Billy off, gone to Dustin's and cried while watching movies the way he used to. Should have gone home, gotten stoned to all hell and gone to bed. But Billy was like a magnet then, drawing closeted Steve in. He couldn't have said no to that text asking him to come out for booze, and sex, if he'd tried. He should have, but he didn't. 

Instead he paced in the gravel and panicked.

"You're gonna leave." Steve had said.

"Not for another year." Billy said, the we-have-already-talked-about-this-a-thousand-times went unsaid.

"But still. You're gonna leave. Go to Cali." Steve spat, like they were curse words. Billy, to his credit, hadn't sighed. 

"Yeah, if I get in. Haven't even applied yet." 

"This is a mistake." Steve said, and he still doesn't know what he meant by that, because he hadn’t wanted to end this. 

"What is?" 

"This!!" Steve had exploded then, maybe because Billy wasn't rising to the bait, maybe because the wild was getting worse.

"This as in…" Billy had pressed, calm in the dark, the joint dangling from his fingers. 

"Us! You and me!" Steve had screamed. The world had nearly stopped then. Billy had hardly reacted, just slowly blinked and gently blew out a breath, pearly smoke fogging out into the black. He hadn't said anything but had pulled on the joint again. 

Steve stood there, panting, and glaring. It was a tipping point, only he hadn't realized it. He could have stormed off, should have stormed off, should have sat down, thrown up, something, anything. Maybe then they would have still been together, maybe Billy would have swept Steve off to Cali with him, and maybe this would be their apartment, maybe they'd even be married now, who knows? All Steve knows is that he fucked up. 

"You are just a distraction, just a good fuck and a bit of fun." Steve had spat. Billy had remained silent, which just pissed Steve off more. "I’m gonna marry Nancy, I’m straight Billy. You know that. I’m straight. Besides, we aren't in love, we are just fucking, right?! RIGHT?!" Steve had bellowed. Billy had flinched then, Hawkins is so conservative, they were running around in secret, holding hands in the dark, fucking in back seats, in Steve’s big empty house, in terror that Neil would find out.

"If you say so King Steve." Billy had said, mock bowing from his seated position. That had done it, Steve had been livid then.

"That's what we are! I'm straight! You are at best an experiment, at worst a mediocre fuck! I’m straight." Steve had spat, seeing red. Billy had scowled, that mean hard mask slipping into place. If they had been having this fight now, therapist Billy would probably have asked what the real problem was. 17-year-old Billy did not. He instead flicked the joint away and advanced on Steve. 

"Aw come on Stevie." He had purred, voice dripping with disdain and anger. "I am an incredible lay. At least be honest about that if you can't admit that you like dick. And honey, we both know how much you like dick. Like pussy too for all I care, but the way you blow me, honey there is nothin’ straight about that." 

Steve had punched him then, and then they were brawling, the whole time a part of Steve's brain screaming to stop. That this was Billy, the man Steve loved, and would always love, beating him was wrong. But Steve couldn't stop. Billy finally broke away, both of them bruised and bleeding. 

"Just like old times Harrington." Billy had said, and spat at Steve's feet. Steve was furious, and hot, boiling with his panic, gay and otherwise. 

"Yeah Hargrove, you still hit like a pussy. Maybe your dad is right about you, huh? A fucking fairy." Steve had spat. 

Billy's face had shuttered instantly, and then in a blur he was jumping in his Camaro and speeding away. Steve was left standing at the quarry. He had crumpled the second the taillights disappeared, and had sobbed his heart out, fists clenched in his hair, knees aching in the gravel. 

They saw each other one more time, at a party two days later. Billy had stepped into a bedroom, looking for Steve. “Stevie, can we...” He had been saying, but stopped short when he finally saw Steve. Steve, who had been fucking some girl, just two days after their fight, which if it hadn’t been a breakup at the quarry it certainly was now. Billy had gaped at them, then stormed out, slamming every door in the damn house it had sounded like, then had roared down the road in his Camaro. 

And that had been the end. Steve had taken a gap year with Tommy, jetting around the states with his parents’ money. When he got back to Hawkins after slumming it on Long Island waiting tables for the better part of the spring, Billy was gone, graduated and moved to California.

In the past seven years, Steve has almost called him millions of times. Almost quit his job and jumped on a plane to Cali, to find him and say sorry. 

Now, Steve sighs, and pulls Billy into a bone crushing hug. Billy responds with a grunt and holds on tight. 

"So glad to have you back in my arms, sweetheart." Billy says, kissing Steve's hair. 

"I've missed the way you feel, baby." Steve replies, hearing the comforting thump of Billy's heart. They stay there for a long time, and if Steve starts crying, neither comments on it. 

"Stay with me, don't go back to your hotel. You can have the bed, I'll sleep on the couch if you want, just don't leave." Billy whispers. 

"And if I want to share the bed?" Steve responds, words a bit muffled by Billy's chest. 

"Oh, sweetheart." Billy says, and then stands up and tugs Steve toward the bed room. Steve goes willingly. Billy shuts the door behind them, and tugs Steve in for a kiss. Steve breaks it, and takes a deep breath. 

"Baby, you are not, and you never have been, anything like Mr. Hargrove and I am so sorry I ever said that." Steve breathes. Billy looks at him, his eyes saying that he understands why Steve needed to say it. 

"I forgive you, pretty boy." Billy whispers, carding fingers through his hair. "I forgave you a long time ago, then I just missed you." He grins, and tugs Steve down for a kiss. He pushes Steve toward the bed and Steve falls back onto it. 

Billy climbs on top of him, and bumps their noses together. "I always knew Cali would look good on you." He teases. Steve grins, reaches up to tug Billy's hair out of its bun.

"Not as good as it looks on you." Steve says. Billy smiles sweetly. 

"Will you kick me out of bed if I say something stupid and sappy?" Billy whispers, and then rolls them so they are lying on their sides facing each other. 

"No one should ever kick you out of bed." Steve whispers. Billy laughs. 

"It is my bed." He says and they kiss quickly. "I love you Steve Harrington, I'm not sure that I ever stopped. And if you can't commit to me, now or ever, that's ok. But I love you." Billy whispers. And yeah, it's a little soon. They should take it slow, they just found each other again less than twelve hours ago, but Steve's heart might burst. 

"If you think I'm letting you go again, William Hargrove, you've got another thing coming." Steve breathes. Billy groans and rolls onto his back. 

"Oh god! Do not call me William!" Billy shrieks, shoving at Steve’s shoulder. Steve laughs. Billy sits up and pulls his jacket off tossing it over the side of the bed. He gets up, cracks the window, turns out the overhead light and turns on one of the bedside lamps, softening the glow in the room. He settles back next to Steve and brushes his hair back. 

"I love you too, Billy." Steve breathes. Billy's face breaks into a grin, and he's kissing Steve like a drowning man. Steve returns in kind, rolling Billy onto his back and climbing on top of him. He breaks the kiss and kisses along Billy's jaw and then down his neck. Billy is panting, working his hands under Steve's barrowed shirt to scratch at his back. 

Steve sucks a bruise on Billy's neck, loving the taste of his skin, so familiar, and so different. 

"Markin’ me as yours, pretty boy?" Billy attempts to croon, but he's panting too much, arching into Steve's body. 

"Yes." Steve basically growls. "Mine." Billy shudders.

"Clothes, off, now." He demands, and they both scramble up, clothes flinging across the room. 

They dive back to each other, and the slide of their naked cocks against one another after seven years is mind blanking. They both groan. 

"Do ya got lube, and a condom?" Steve asks, kissing down Billy's chest. Billy chuckles. 

"I'm a gay man living in San Francisco, course I got lube. And I was literally giving them away today." Billy grumbles, but he stretches to grab them, passing them to Steve. Steve presses another quick kiss to Billy's sternum and then sits back. Billy groans at the sight of Steve's cock, flushed and hard. 

"I cannot wait to get that inside me again." Billy says, and he's almost drooling. Steve chuckles. 

"I can't wait either, baby." Steve promises, and slicks his fingers. 

Prepping Billy Hargrove is a magical experience. He is maybe even more responsive than he was in high school, writhing and panting and moaning. Steve has to really work to not come too early, from just his noises.

Fucking Billy is even better, and it's the sweetest sappiest sex Steve has ever had. Billy loops his arms around Steve's neck when he pushes inside, and kisses Steve sweetly. 

"Missed you, missed this, pretty boy." Billy croons. Steve nods, and sets a slow pace. Billy stares into his eyes the whole time and doesn't break eye contact when he comes, neither does Steve.

After, they curl together, Billy the little spoon he secretly loves being, Steve dotting his hair and neck with kisses. 

"You are the only guy I've been with who appreciates that I want to be a little spoon." Billy mutters sleepily. Steve laughs softly.

"Tough guy Billy just wants snuggles. I remember." Steve breathes. Billy makes a happy little noise and snuggles closer.

Steve tucks his face into Billy’s curls and breathes deep. 

“Max really didn’t tell you I was gonna be here?” Billy asks. Steve shakes his head. 

“She didn’t say anything about it other than right before we left the hotel. She said we had to hurry or we would miss him. I’m assuming she meant you.” Steve whispers. 

“That little shit. She texted me like a million times asking what I was wearing, and then telling me I had to wear lipstick. Said it was important.” Billy chuckles. “I think she set us up.” 

“I’m sure as shit not complain.” Steve whispers, mouthing at Billy’s neck. Billy sighs, and looks back at Steve, blue eyes full of love. 

“Me either.” He breathes, leaning up to kiss Steve deeply. They snuggle back down, Steve adjusting the sheet over them and holding Billy tightly. They drift off, content and whole for the first time in a long time. 

 

One year later. 

 

"God, Max they really are disgusting, I thought the wedding was bad, but this…" Lucas scowls watching Billy and Steve getting ready. Max glances up and laughs. 

"Told ya." She teases, Lucas makes a retching noise and wanders to the kitchen. 

Billy is adjusting Steve's jacket. Billy's wearing a fitted glittery rainbow dress, and the same heels from last year. Steve is wearing a grey shirt that says ‘Bisexual and still not into you’, that Billy had bought him, with Billy's leather jacket over it and ripped skinny jeans. He and Billy had done their makeup together and are both marching in the parade this year. 

Max is wearing a similar outfit to last year, as is Lucas, and they have already dragged Billy and Steve into thousands of pictures. Billy pecks Steve's lips and stands back. 

"You look perfect, love." He says. Steve grins. 

"So, do you, I can't wait to get you out of that dress later." Steve says, with a hungery look. 

"GROSS." Lucas screeches from the kitchen. Steve just grins.

"Shall we go Mr. Harrington?" Steve asks. Billy lights up and beams, kissing Steve deeply.

"Yes, let’s go Mr. Harrington." Billy says. 

They'd gotten married on June first, two days before the parade. Their honey moon is in July, because Billy's job is so busy during Pride Month he can't really leave. Steve can't either for that matter, so they had gotten married, and now are going to Steve's second ever Pride Parade as husbands. 

While it feels like this all happened over night, it of course didn’t. Billy had almost rioted when Steve went back to Indiana to quit his job, and pack his belongings a week after the parade last year. Billy was worried that he wouldn't come back. 

But Steve accomplished everything in a week, and moved to San Francisco permanently. They moved into a new apartment, and for a while Steve was jobless. He had enough in savings that they did fine, but he was anxious. 

Eventually Steve got a job working at the local youth homeless shelter, working on reaching out to disowned LGBTQ+ kids that had nowhere to go. It was exhausting and depressing sometimes, but he no longer hates his life. 

It helps that he is so in love with Billy they almost can't handle it, and they are both working wonderful jobs. 

It's not easy: Steve’s dad cut him off and disowned him when they got the wedding invite. Steve’s mom follows wherever his dad goes and no longer speaks to him. But Susan and her husband welcomed him with open arms and Max is delighted. Billy struggles sometimes still, with all the abuse his dad put him through, and Steve wakes screaming sometimes from nightmares of monsters with flower faces. 

But overall, it’s perfect, and wonderful, and Steve will never ever get tired of Billy in heels and a dress. 

“Happy Pride, Husband.” Billy says, later, hand tucked into Steve’s elbow as they walk down the street, surrounded by rainbows. 

Steve kisses Billy’s hair and smiles. “Happy Pride William Harrington.” He breathes. Billy grins, and somewhere a camera click. 

That picture of them from the parade ends up in the paper, and Steve buys every copy he can find and frames them all.

**Author's Note:**

> Outfits referenced through out because I spent so much time finding their outfits, in order of appearance:  
> Steve: [Black Moon T-shirt,](https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/2832397-not-a-phase-bisexual-pride-lgbt?utm_source=paid_search&utm_medium=ppc&utm_campaign=PLA&utm_content=tshirt-unisex&feed_sku=2832397D1V&ar_clx=yes&ar_channel=google_ads&ar_campaign=959377862&ar_adgroup=56762606543&ar_ad=352852431263&ar_strategy=search&gclid=CjwKCAjw3azoBRAXEiwA-_64Oiwb9JQn4blbqD7YqKqBuXJ4GkcoW2CpYyLiwaAgZd3DH0sEnPmpyhoCTbsQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) the picture of the shirt he borrowed from Billy I can no longer find but I think yall can visualize it ok. His pride shirt at the [end](https://www.amazon.com/TeesAndTankYou-Bisexual-Still-Shirt-Unisex/dp/B07BWRJZGM)  
> Lucas: [Alley T-shirt](https://www.cafepress.com/mf/41757246/allyikmp_tshirt?productId=723210564) I know the link goes to a women's shirt, but I liked the design.  
> El's girlfriend, Jerri: [Button down pride shirt](https://www2.hm.com/en_us/productpage.0762370001.html) I own this shirt, and am obsessed with it.  
> El: [Skirt,](https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS844US844&biw=1242&bih=568&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=p2YMXYiQJMi8-gTjy5DwBQ&q=pride+skirts&oq=pride+skirts&gs_l=img.3..35i39j0i5i30.864.5976..6177...0.0..3.229.3567.4j27j1......0....1..gws-wiz-img.....0..0i67j0j0i8i30.hUtSU01vbCI#imgrc=PxuIJMjdJ-NZAM:) [shirt](https://www.lookhuman.com/design/375129-i-m-gay-what-s-your-super-power/6010-heathered_gray_nl-md)  
> Billy: His dress is based off of this [picture](https://pagesix.com/2018/12/21/jonathan-van-ness-wears-a-sweater-dress-and-more-star-snaps/slide-1/) Jonathan Van Ness, just Billy's is rainbow.  
> Please let me know if any of the links don't work, and here is the [picture](https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS844US844&biw=1242&bih=568&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=hGgMXZvdJYz0-gSU_6nQCA&q=joe+keery+and+dacre+montgomery&oq=joe+kee&gs_l=img.1.0.35i39j0l9.157539.160945..162300...0.0..3.124.4392.1j39......0....1..gws-wiz-img.....0..0i10i67j0i67.BNbouhPLxwU#imgrc=uiMUo5gsBbcyGM:) of Dacre Montgomery and Joe Keery that I based the polaroid that Steve finds in Billy's room. I just made Dacre more Billy in the description.  
> Thank you so much for reading! Follow me on Tumblr [here!](https://hippiebuckyharrington.tumblr.com/)


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